Reversing mechanism



Jan. 22 1924. A

M. GOODWIN REVERS ING MECHANIS M Original Filed Aug. 9, 1920 FIELLI FIGLE.

FIGA.

`Patented dan., Z2, 1924.

` Litiges Prat4 eri-ic navire-stiva MncHANrsM.

VOriginal application led August 9, 1920, Serial No. 402,272. V:Divided and this application filed October 25,

. i 1921. Serial No. 510,257. Y

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM M. GOODWIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvanimhave invented a new and useful Improvement in a Reversing Mechanism,.of which the following is a specification. v Y f This invention relates to a reversing mechanism, and is a division of copending application Serial No. 402,272, filed August 9, 1920.

For clothes washing machines and the like it is highly desirable that .the drum of the machine be'rot-ated and that the direction of rotation be automatically reversed after a single revolution, or after a predetermined number of revolutions in the samedirection.

It is also desirable that the reversing mechanism be compact in order to economize in the quantity ofgrease required for lubrica- Y tion; that the parts .loe such as to minimize likelihood of breakage; and that the power transmitting means be Smooth in operation and simple to manufacture...

An object of the invention is, therefore, to provide reversing mechanism'in which the reversing action is secured by means of a compact gear assembly withoutcalling into play lever orV clutch *during operation of the mechanism. Y A

A speciiic object of the invention is to secure the reversal by the direct interaction of an assembly composed of spur gears; such arrangement providing compactness in the lelimination of lever arms, smoothness r.due

to the superior meshing qualities of spur gears, and economy due tothe elimination of the more expensive bevel gears.

Y. In the accompanying dra-wings Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the device; Figure 2 is a vertical section taken von the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detail elevation of a. modified segmental pinion constituting an element of the device; and Figure 4; is a detail elevation of another segmental pinion arranged to produce a reversal in the direction of rotation of the i power" shaft after each single revolution thereof.

invention is preferably contained in a suitable casing 1, which may be filled with grease to lubricate the moving parts'of the mechanism. ,Poweris transmitted Ltothe mechanism by means of a shaft 2, mounted The reversing. mechanism of theV presentVv` I I idly in aclockwise direction. This actlon in a bearing 3 in the casing and carrying a sheave 4 for connection with a suitable source of motive power. yShaft 2 also carries af pinion 5, whichmeshes with a gear 6 keyed or splined on a cross shaft 7.

Adriven shaft 8 is mounted in the casing 1 and has thereona gear 9. Means are provided whereby the rotation of gear 6 in a uniform direction produced'a reversal in the direction of rotation of the gear 9 and driven shaft 8 after a predetermined number of revolutions in either direction. y

These means comprise a bracket 1() which is rotatably-mounted on the cross shaft, and which is of a general oblate U-shape in longitudinal section. The bracket 10 is provided with a relatively stiff helical spring 11 secured to the bracket and to the case. 1,

this spring being for the purpose of maintaining the bracket in one or the other of the positions which it 'assumes in operation of the mechanism. y Rotatably mounted kin bracket 10 are the pinions 12 and 13 meshing with the gear 1li. `Also rotatably mountedyin the bracket l0 is a pinion 15 meshing with pinion 12. In different positions of the bracket, pinions 13 and 15 are respectively brought into mesh with the gear for revolving the driven shaft. Y 4

The means for alternately throwing pin- Vions 13 and 15 into mesh with gear 9 comprise a pin 16 on the back of bracket 10, a pin 17 on a face of gear 9,-and a segmental pinion 18 having thereon teeth arranged topr-oject into the p-ath of movement of` pin 17 and to contact with pin 16. The segmental pinion 18 is likewise rotatably mounted on bracket 1() and is provided with a number Iof teeth corresponding tov the numberof revolutions which it is desired-to impart to driven shaft 8 between reversals of its direction of rotation. n' p Assumingthat gear liis rotating uniformly in a counter-clockwisedirection, the pinion 12 will be rotated in a clockwise direction, and the pinion 15, meshing with gear 9 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. The pinion 13' will be rotating continues until the gear 9 hasmade a suiicient number of revolutions to cause the end tooth 2O to come into contact with pin 16 ou bracket l0f "The tooth 20 contacting pin with 16, due to the rotation of gear 9, causes a rotational movement of the bracket l0, forcing spring ll past its dead center into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. This rotational movement throvvs pinion l5 out ot mesh with gear 9 and throws pinion into mesh therewith, so that gear 9 is rotated in a counter-clockivise instead of a clockwise direction. f

l?! ith the parts in this position, the seg'- mental pinion 18 is rotated back tooth tooth until the other end tooth 19 comesinto Contact with pin` 16, causing another reversal in the direction of rotation of gear 9 and shaft 8.

Gbviously by varying the number of teeth on the segmental' pinion 1S, the number of revolutions between reversals may be varied up 'to the limit set ,by the availableA space on the toothed segment of the pinion.

Thus the segmeiital4 pinion shown in Eigure 3 of the drawings produces a reversal in the direction of rotation of the driven shaft for everyv three revolutions thereof, and the segmental pinion shown in Figure t of thedravvings produces a reversal in the direction of rotation ofthe poiver shaft foreach single revolution thereof.`

rihe device of the present invention is particularly adapted forv use1 in producing the desirable reversals in the; direction `'or rotation of the drum of a Washing machine, because of its compact and economical structure. It also presents advantages for this and other uses in the utilization of spur gears only, and in the fact that such gears operate directlyin causing reversals in the direction of rotation Without the use of clutch or similar mechanism.

This obviates necessityvfor the use of Worms, cams, levers, or the like. It is to be noted that the mechanism is Wholly automatic in its operation.

As the device is susceptible of a number of modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention, only those limitations contained in the appended claims are to be imposed upon the scope of the invention.

l/Vhat l claim isf: y

l Reversing mechanism comprising Aa. movable bracket, a driven shaft, a gear theredriven pin'ions` in said bracket'v and are ranged to mesh one at a time with the. gear on said driven shaft `for driving the same `in opposite directions of rotation, a segmental pinion, and a projection on the gear of said driven shaft arranged to actuate said segmental pinion forc'a'usin'g'y it tof operateuphn the' bracket to' alter i sgad te the meshing pinionsr-vvith thegear onl aid drivei 2. Reversing mechanism com" risi gl a movable bracket, a'j driven shaf a gea on. driven' pinion IjsadbralQt rral to mesh one at a time with the gear on said driven shaft for driving. the same in opposite directions of rotation, a segmental pinion, a projection on the gear of said driven shaft arranged' to engage a tooth of said segmental pinion upon each revolution of the power shaft, and a projection on said bracket arranged to be engaged by said segmental pinion to alternate the meshing of said pinions with the gear on the driven shaft,

3. Reversing mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a gear thereon, a movable bracket, pinions on Said bracket actuated in mutually opposite directions of rotation by said gear, a driven shaft,k a gear on said driven` shaft,` and a member Yrotatably mounted on saidbracket and arrangedutobe actuatedr directly by said driven shaft to shift the bracket after a predeterminednumber of revolutions of. the drivenushaft and alternate themeshing: of said pinions with thev gear on the driven shaft.

4. VReversing mechanism comprising a C lrilvingl shaft, a gear thereon, a `movable bracket, pinions on ksaid,bracket actuated in mutually opposite directions of rotation by said gear, a driven shaft, a gear on said driven shaft, and a segmental pinion arranged to be rotated step by step by said driven shaft tol shift the bracket after a. predetermined number of revolutions of the driven shaft andv alternateV the meshing of said pinions' With the gear on the driven shaft. i i s 5, Reversing mechanism comprising a movable bracket', a driven shaft,.a gear on said driven shaft, pinions in said bracket arranged to mesh one at Ia time with the gear on saiddriven shaft for driving` the., samemin opposite directions of rotation, andk a member rotatably mounte'don said. bracket Iand arranged to be actuateddirectly by said driven shaft toshift the bracket after a predetermined' number of revolutions vof the driven shaft and alternate the meshing ofv said pini'ons'` with the gear on the driven shaft.y

`6. Reversing mechanism comprisingai. movable bracket, a driven shaft, a gear on said driven shaft, pinions in said bracket arranged/tomesh one at al time with the gear on said driven shaft `for driving the .same in oposite directions of'lrotlation, andy a segmental pinion arranged to, be actuated directly by said driven shaft to shift the bracket after a. predetermined number of revolutions of the driven shaft and alternate the meshing oflsaid pinio'ns" with the gear on the l' driven shaft.

@Reversing mailman C ,O'mpjnsiag a. movable' bracket', adrlvenY shaft, a p'airof rotatJ -mou'ntjed mem1v rections, and a segmental pinion arranged vto be actuated directly by said driven shaft` mounted in said bracket and aranged to engage one at a time with the member on the driven shaft for driving said shaft in opposite directions of rotation, a segmental pinion, and a projection on the engaging member of the driven shaft arranged to actuate said segmental pinion for causing it to act upon the bracket to alternate the engagement of the rotatably mounted members on the bracket With the engaging member on the driven shaft.

9. Reversing mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a driving member thereon, a movable bracket, rotatably mounted members on said bracket actuated in mutually opposite directions of rotation by said driving member, a driven shaft, an engaging member on said driven shaft, and a member rotatably mounted on said bracketA and arranged to be actuated directly by said driven shaft to shift the bracket aftera predetermined number of revolutions of the driven shaft to alternate the engagement of the rotatably mounted members on the bracket with the engaging member on the driven shaft.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

ADAM M. GOODWIN.

Witnesses:

R. M. GAUGHAN. E. B. VVALTERS.k 

